ONP Hiking Opinions
 

We'll be spending 5 days (3 nights in PA and 2 nights Lake Quinault) in early August.

Any particular day-hiking or destinations you'd recommend? Not super-strenuous but not "easy". Up to 10-ish miles would be fine.

TIA!

Check this out:

http://www.nps.gov/olym/day-hiking.htm

You can also request information directly from the National Park through their website.

I am also planning a trip to ONP in late September, so I hope you post your trip report after your trip in August! Would love to read what you did and would recommend.

for longer hikes that are beyond the "easy" rating, see this page as well:

http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisi...ain-trails.htm

Grand Valley (7.6 miles, 1400 feet elevation change) and Heather Park (over 3000 feet of elevation change) are two of my favorites.

For the Grand Valley hike, you start high, at the end of the Obstruction Point Road (a branch off the Hurrican Ridge road), and then drop down to the lakes. The road itself is a bit of an adventure. The ridge is very exposed, so do not attempt this hike in bad weather.

Ozette loop, a 9.0 mile triangle with a 3-mile stretch of beach, is always a favorite too.

The 9 mile LK Ozette triangle trail near Neah Bay is one of my favorite hikes in the NW. 3 miles out to the beach, 3 miles along the beach (easiest to go N to S), then 3 miles back. It needs to be done at or near low tide, otherwise you have to go "up and over" a couple of headlands and that's kind of scary.

The Hoh River Valley trail is another great dayhike. It goes on for miles but you can just go as far as you like then turn around (there's a nice turn-around point about 5 miles in).

NWW - that reminds me of a question I wanted to ask about tides, as I'm from the Midwest and have no clue about these things. Does low tide occur for several hours at a time, so that you have enough time to walk the 3 miles along the beach, or do you need to really keep on your toes and not dawdle? Also I would imagine you need to be aware of the time you leave to get to the beach in order to get there as low tide begins? It's all very confusing to me! haha

There's about 6 hours between high and low tides and you want to do most of the hike when the tide is at its lowest. So you want to start your hike a good hour before the low tide time on the tide table, to cover the 3 miles out to the beach. I wouldn't dawdle out on the beach but you don't have to run either ;-). Once you're past the headlands and before you come back inland at Sand Point, you can sit and have a picnic--that's usually where most of the seals are anyway (towards the S end of the beach portion).

That should have read, you want to do most of the BEACH portion of the hike at low tide.

Thanks for the information NWW! That is definitely one of the hikes I want to do during my trip!

Thanks for the info.

Is the "Grand Valley" hike the same as the "Lilian Ridge Trail" I've seen mentioned elsewhere? Sounds close.

About how long a drive (time-wise) is it from PA to the Ozette starting point?

Thanks!

I'd say about 2 hours from Pt Angeles to the Lk Ozette trailhead.